Kvirikoba

From the beginning of the existence of a human, every individual has to defend his views, ideologies, and opinions. It is caused by different religions, genders, ages, or social strata. For centuries and even today, all of us strive to establish our worldview and remain faithful to our faith at all costs. We know many such people from the history of the Christian religion-people with strong faith, who were later canonized, and some, even almost 18 centuries later, remained as symbols of holiness, strong beliefs, and religion. From this countless list, Cyricus and Julitta are such immortal saints and still hold an important place in Christendom. The reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian was a difficult one for the Christian religion, as he severely persecuted its followers. We know the approximate year 305, but the exact day is July 28th. The day when Christendom acquired two more saints. Julitta and three-year-old Cyricus appeared on trial, and despite the expected results, first Julitta and then little Cyricus declared themselves Christians. Of course, the consequences were quite brutal and the process ended in beheading and death, but they have taken a special place in our history, and even after so many centuries, this day is widely celebrated in several parts of Georgia. The municipality of Mestia is especially active in this regard, in particular the village of Kala, where this holiday is called Kvirikoba/Lagurka. Lagurka - this is the name of the historical monument and monastery of Cyricus and Julitta built in this city, in the XI century. This culturally significant monument truly perfectly conveys the episodes of Cyricus and Julitta's life, the death of a 3-year-old martyr, and the scene of Julitta's beheading. Kvirikoba was also festively celebrated in Kartli, in the village of Dumatskho. The celebration was similar to Christmas and Easter, with staying up all nights, offerings, and walking around the temple three times, although over time the rule has changed, and now the celebration of Kvirikoba takes place only during the day, with a modest table. Despite all that, the feast of these two saints is still largely celebrated. On this day, those who have strong faith pray for family happiness and the speedy recovery of their children. Although there are countless examples, that assure us how strong a person can be, the story of Cyricus and Julitta is truly one of the hardest, and Julittae's words: "I am a Christian! It speaks to both my identity and my generosity" is truly an example and a source of inspiration. It shows, that despite any situation you should always stay true to your beliefs.